Samokov is a tourist town situated at the foot of the highest Bulgarian Rila mountains. It is a great base for tourists going to the Musala area, and in winter for skiers using the nearby ski resort of Borovets.
The city was founded in the 14th century as an iron ore mining center. It was also famous for its craft workshops producing carved wooden objects, furniture and wall cladding. Today, their collection and wooden decorations can be seen in the Tsarska Bistrica Palace and in the Samokowa Historical Museum.
In Samokowo, a lot of monuments from the Turkish rule have been preserved, including the Bayrakli Mosque, the House of Sarafas transformed into a museum, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Bellevue Church, the Monastery of the Protection of the Mother of God and the Great Fountain.
However, what attracts most tourists to Samokowo is the proximity of the Rila National Park. Numerous trails start here, leading to the region of Musala, the highest peak in Bulgaria, and Maljovica and the Rila Lakes. A good base for exploring the mountains is the Borovets ski resort, which is part of Samokovo. There are over a dozen downhill ski runs on the Yastrabec ridge above it. The year-round Yastrabec cable car allows for a significant shortening of the climb to Musala and is eagerly chosen by tourists as an alternative to the tiring climb from the valley.
